What the Executive Order Requiring Federal Contractors to Pay a $15 Minimum Wage Will Mean

It will take some time for the full scale and scope of President Biden’s recent executive order directing federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage for their workers starting next year to be seen. 

Biden issued an executive order on April 27 that builds on one from President Obama in February 2014, which required federal contractors to pay their workers $10.10 per hour. Currently, the minimum wage for workers on federal contracts is $10.95 per hour and the tipped minimum wage is $7.65 per hour.  READ MORE

The American worker had been earning less throughout the pandemic. That ended in March.

Various economic indicators are surpassing their pre-pandemic highs as stimulus and reopening drive the country toward a full recovery.

US wages are the latest to rebound.

Salaries and hourly wages finally leaped above their February 2020 peak in March 2021, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Employee payment across the country rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $9.78 trillion from $9.67 trillion, marking a new record high and an eleventh consecutive climb. READ MORE

How pay transparency can help close the wage gap and advance DEI

At the start of the pandemic, software engineer and aspiring CIO Kerry Fields was laid off. In an already challenging time, she unexpectedly had to begin searching for work during one of the biggest job crises of the past several decades. She poured over job boards, networked virtually, worked with mentors, and took every opportunity to continue building her portfolio and professional skills. She also applied for upwards of 100 jobs. READ MORE

Gender Pay Gaps in Nonprofits Are Even Greater When There Is Room for Salary Negotiations

With increased media attention and political campaigns focusing on the gender pay gap, the fact that women — on average — are paid less than men, has become an important public discussion. While much of the focus has been on the corporate sector, a new study that looked at executive compensation at nonprofit organizations found that women earn 8.9% less than men with the gap becoming greater when there is room for salary negotiations. READ MORE

Just 10 percent of companies cut executive pay in 2020

Only around 10 percent of TSX companies issued some form of pay cut to CEOs, other executives, or their board of directors in 2020, according to research from Diligent.

And where cuts were implemented, they were minimal. ‘Using 2019 realized compensation as the basis, we find that the pay cuts issued by the companies represent only about 1 percent of total projected realized pay,’ write the study authors. READ MORE

Wells Fargo scores the latest narrow win for CEO pay

Wells Fargo & Co's executive pay plan for 2020 received backing from only about 57% of investor votes on Tuesday, a narrow win for the company and the latest evidence of tougher scrutiny shareholders have put on CEO compensation this year.

CEO and President Charles Scharf was paid $20.4 million in 2020, down from $34.3 million in 2019, when he was first named to lead the bank, according to its proxy statement filed in March. On an annualized basis his total direct compensation in 2020 fell about 12% from $23 million the prior year, according to a January filing. READ MORE

Biden administration to issue executive order to increase minimum wage for federal contractors

The Biden administration is expected to issue an executive order Tuesday that will require all federal contractors to pay their employees working for federal agencies a $15 minimum wage.

Progressives have been trying to enact a $15 minimum wage hike on a national level but fell short of the votes needed last month to include the proposal in the massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. Seven Democrats joined Republicans to oppose the measure. READ MORE

The state of compensation in 2021

Due to the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 was a revealing year for many in terms of money, income and personal finance habits. Just in time for Financial Literacy Awareness Month in April, Elements Global Services released its 2021 State of Compensation report. Here are some of the key statistics and takeaways from the report along with insights and predictions about the future from Rick Hammell, the founder and CEO of Elements Global Services. READ MORE

Should tech managers setting compensation fear wage inflation?

Wage inflation across the United States hasn’t been a concern for at least a generation.

During the crushing inflation of the late 1970s, increasing salaries by 10 to 20% year over year would only keep flat an employee’s purchasing power. Today, pay bumps like that are the stuff of a big promotion. That’s because year-over-year price inflation in this country hasn’t crossed even 3% since before The Great Recession. READ MORE